Substrates
Liquid metal coatings, whether Enigma Metals or Metalier, can be applied to almost any substrate with the exceptions of waxed or silicone surfaces.
They can be applied to acrylic, ceramics, concrete, fiberglass, glass, MDF, metal tube, sheet metal and timber.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a lightweight indoor / outdoor substrate that can also be fabricated, folded or molded into various shapes and sizes prior to the application of our coatings. As the coatings are a liquid spray, it will follow any curves and go around corners easily.
It's good in the workshop too as it is easy to prepare for coating. It has a softness that allows the sanders to get into it and create a good key.
Ceramics
Inexpensive tiles can become stunning with the application of our finishes. Depending on the finish already on the tiles, and whether they are porous or non-porous, a sealing undercoat may be required first
Ceramics are inorganic non-metallic solids created by the action of heat and subsequent cooling.
Concrete
Remarkable Surfaces coatings are also able to be applied to concrete as it is an excellent substrate, as long as careful attention is paid to the rules of moisture and ensuring the concrete is fully and completed sealed. Consideration needs to be paid to whether the design is for indoor or outside, as well as ensuring there is no danger of moisture becoming trapped in or absorbed by the concrete substrate.
Fibreglass
Fibreglass is another good substrate for Remarkable Surfaces range of coatings and don't require any additional sealing, just the standard undercoat. An undercoat is required in any case for all non-porous surfaces so that the top-coat of liquid metal is smooth and suitable for polishing.
Glass
Applying liquid metal to glass is perfectly possible and where a fire-proof substrate is required, glass is an excellent choice. This is because the finishes will take on the fire-retardant characteristics of the substrate, as it does not support a flame.
Glass however will need to be provided to our workshop with a keyed surface as our orbital sanders will not key the surface to the required level. The best option is to ask the glass manufacture to key it to 180 grit for you. The next best option is to have the glass sandblasted to the required grit. However please note, this can be relatively expensive to set up, if you do it through an outside company, and there is always the risk that the sandblasting might damage the glass irreparably.
MDF
Ordinary, cheap and plain looking MDF will actually allow Remarkable Surfaces finishes to performs at their best and is the most frequently coated substrate. Liquid metals will transform plain MDF into something beautiful and unique without adding any significant weight to the substrate and with the availability of moisture resistant MDF, it is perfect for the doors on kitchen cupboards.
Metal Tube
Applying our finishes to a fully welded steel frame is the ideal way to get a full metal look that hides the welds and of course we can also age that metal finish.
All steel frames that are for indoor use only, need to be supplied to the workshop rust free with all welds cleaned and coated with two layers of epoxy primer. This protects the steel from rust and provides a metal-free barrier coat between the substrate and the liquid metal coating because without it, there is the potential for the two metals to react against each other and to cause electrolysis. This may, over time, cause the coating to delaminate.
All steel frames that are going to be used outdoors need to be supplied to the workshop with a smooth fully galvanised finish which is best achieved by hot dip galvanising. Alert the galvaniser that it needs to be smooth finish so that they have the galvanising baths hot enough.
Sheetmetal / Steel Plate
Thin sheetmetal is the ideal substrate for insert panels for cupboard doors due to the thinness of the panels and again makes an ideal substrate for any of our coatings.
Aluminium is a popular metal substrate and in particular aluminium doors which look stunning when coated with a textured Metalier coating.
The details pertaining to metal tube are also applicable to sheetmetal.
Timber
Liquid metal coating on timber is a great combination of materials. It does, however, require attention to the choice of wood and its preparation.
Because it is porous and has a fibrous structural tissue, it is important to seal well any wooden substrate before applying a liquid metal coating. If the wood is not sealed then the coating will sink into the pores of the wood and look patchy on the surface.
As both Enigma Metals and Metalier can be sprayed, when it is used on timber with a deep grain, the grain will still be visible.